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Drop-In Chat Today Pain Recovery Program

Taste of Success, but back again...

Discussion in 'Support Subforum' started by GAC, Feb 21, 2025.

  1. GAC

    GAC Peer Supporter

    Hi,
    Its me, I'm back again.

    I must first of all say that I've had success from this. I came to this forum, and TMS through a persistent pain in my abdomen that had been around for years. I made it 14 days through the Recovery Programme before the pain diminished, moved, appeared in other places before leaving entirely. I was free. I was free from the pain, the anxiety, the fear. I had my life back.

    Well, I had my life back for about a month, maybe 6 weeks.

    My new foe is eye strain and headaches (likely from the eye strain). This symptom popped up for me previously, but had left early last year, everything was great, but in September it re-appeared. I have been back and fourth to a variety of opticians, had various glasses, and whilst some have temporarily helped, overall, I've not had success from their efforts. I've been back on the same rollercoaster again. I'm feeling the fear, I'm feeling the worry.

    I worry that this will mean I have to give up my job (I work in IT, being able to read the computer screen is unavoidable).

    Is this TMS round 2?
    What do I do? Pick up the pain recovery programme where I left off, or do I restart?

    It sounds very feeble, but this is definitely a plea for help.
     
    GAC, Feb 21, 2025
    #1
  2. JanAtheCPA

    JanAtheCPA Beloved Grand Eagle

    Hi there @GAC, sorry you're back, but congratulations for the success you experienced! That's something to give yourself credit for.

    The TMS brain mechanism is not something we can fix and then never deal with again. You probably know this, but I'm reminding you and others of this fact. You need tools that you can regularly use and you need to develop enough mindfulness to remember to use your tools.

    I'd like to double check which program you were actually doing. Was it Alan Gordon's 21 day pain recovery program? That one is here on the forum. That program has great information in it, and it does have subtools, so if you got through day 14, you only have seven more days to go. Also, that program doesn't have you doing any writing exercises.

    I feel like the real recovery tools are in the Structured Educational Program, the one that's on the main TMSWiki.org website.

    Let us know which one you did and also how many days it took to do your 14 days, and I'll make a recommendation.
     
    JanAtheCPA, Feb 21, 2025
    #2
  3. GAC

    GAC Peer Supporter

    Hi,
    Thank you for the reply. I was so filled with joy when I felt like I’d regained my life back. I probably did the predictable, but incorrect idea of having addressed my problems, and then quit doing the work.

    I got through 14 days of the structured recovery programme in about 16-18 days (I was committed!)
     
    GAC, Feb 21, 2025
    #3
  4. JanAtheCPA

    JanAtheCPA Beloved Grand Eagle

    Nicole Sachs is very helpful at getting people unstuck or back on track. Go to the postings tab on my profile, scroll to the bottom and click "all threads by..." then find any thread about Nicole Sachs - it's mostly going to be podcast episode recommendations. On her revamped website, your breakawake.com, you can go to the podcast page, just start listening, scroll titles, or do a search on any topic. If you enter Q&A in the search box it should return all of her recorded community Q&A episodes, which are like personal therapy from Nicole.

    I've only just started her brand-new book, Mind Your Body. I posted a recent thread on that.
     
    JanAtheCPA, Feb 21, 2025
    #4
  5. GAC

    GAC Peer Supporter

    Thanks. I think I recognise her name from JournalSpeak.

    I guess I’m here asking the question of is this TMS ? But in reality I feel like I know the answer: maybe! But really doing more emotional work won’t be a bad thing either way. I guess I just worry about my job, but that’s expected! Also just adding fuel to the fear fire.
     
    GAC, Feb 21, 2025
    #5
  6. JanAtheCPA

    JanAtheCPA Beloved Grand Eagle

    If you can't answer the question yourself you definitely need more TMS education.
    Back to Day 1 of the SEP!
    In addition, read one success story every day, and listen to one episode of Nicole's podcast every day.
     
    JanAtheCPA, Feb 21, 2025
    #6
    GAC likes this.

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